


Felix Was Not At The Training Grounds

by txbris



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: "gay rights!" - Cyril, Confession, Felix Fraldarius attempts to explore 'feelings', First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Pining, background Yuri/Sylvain, gay realisation, miscommunication of the sexiest kind, no beta we die like Glenn, set during AM post-timeskip after Gronder Field
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/txbris/pseuds/txbris
Summary: "Should we go check out the main bit of the church together?" Sylvain's voice interrupted Ashe's thoughts. "If Felix is stalking Dimitri, that's where we'll find both of them."Ashe nodded. "It's worth a try.""And it's a lovely day to stretch my legs with my good friend Ashe," Sylvain winked. "Let's go, daddy-o."During a lull in the war, Ashe finds a copy of one of his favourite childhood fables at the market. He's eager to share it with Felix but, for the first time ever, the swordsman isn't at the training grounds.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 6
Kudos: 69





	Felix Was Not At The Training Grounds

**Author's Note:**

> You know how Felix is ALWAYS at the training grounds? What if he wasn't?
> 
> (Inspired by [this tweet](https://twitter.com/UNS3ENENTITIES/status/1288065660837273605).)

In a world ravaged by war and conflict, moments of calm were few and far between, which was why Ashe was so surprised to find himself with not one, not two, but three entire days of peace and quiet without the constant threat of fighting looming over them.

First things first - Ashe had treated himself to a bath at the monastery sauna, getting rid of approximately a month's worth of grime and mud. The Blue Lions had taken hasty baths here and there while out on the literal war path, dipping into lakes and ponds and spending time out in the rain and just hoping that generous applications of perfume would cover the worst of the smells, but nothing could truly match up to hot water and actual soap.

After indulging in a hot bath, Ashe had then headed over to the dining hall to have actual breakfast that didn't consist of bread or cheese or a vaguely mouldy mixture of both. He'd devoured an entire plate of hot pancakes and fruits that were soaked through with honey while ignoring Sylvain chanting "CHEW! CHEW! CHEW!" right down his ear. Breakfast had been followed by helping out Ignatz and Marianne in the greenhouse as they planted new bulbs, a brief chat with Dorothea by the fishing pond as they both fussed one of the monastery cats, and then Ashe and Yuri had headed down to the market to look for a treat.

"Here," Yuri beckoned him over to a stall adorned with shiny trinkets. "Amethyst or amber earrings?"

Ashe stopped to think, tapping one finger against his chin, as Yuri alternated between holding up earrings to his ear. "Amethyst suits your whole look, but amber goes well too!"

Yuri's laugh was light and lilting. "You're always on the fence, little mouse."

"Why don't you get both?"

"Hmm," Yuri weighed both pairs of earrings in his palms in thought. "Perhaps I shall."

While Yuri spoke to the stall owner regarding his new purchase, Ashe took the time to check out the wares available at the nearby stalls. One stall was selling an assortment of appetising looking pies while another was piled high with all sorts of fascinating looking weapons. Maybe Ashe would treat himself to a new bow?

As he was crossing the plaza, his attention was caught by a smaller stall that had various books on display. His eye was drawn to one book's cover, the art depicting a heroic young knight wielding a shining lance and facing down a thickly-armoured lake monster.

"By the Goddess," Ashe gasped, dashing over. "That's the tale of The Knight and The Lake Monster!"

Okay, maybe the old writers weren't that great at naming things.

"You certainly know your stuff," the stall owner grinned at him.

"H-how did you get this?! It looks like an original copy, but it's in such good condition, is that genuine leather-"

"Oh, little mouse, one question at a time," Ashe's rambling was interrupted by Yuri joining him, new earrings already in his earlobes. 

One question at a time. The important one first, then. "H-how much?!"

"Fifty gold."

Well. That was waaaay out of Ashe's budget. That was like, nobility levels of money. Maybe he could convince one of his rich friends to buy it for him?

"O-oh," Ashe swallowed thickly. "Ah."

"Want to go rob someone?" Yuri suggested. Ashe wasn't entirely sure if he was serious.

"N-no!" he stammered.

"Fine," Yuri tossed a heavy coin purse onto the table. "I'll buy it for you, then."

"Yuri-"

"Consider it a treat for taking out that one soldier at Gronder before he managed to cleave me in two," Yuri winked.

"You two are fighting in the war effort?" the stall owner asked.

"Mm," Yuri replied before Ashe could. "Ashe here is on the front lines. He's a member of Prince Dimitri's personal guard, you know."

Ashe could feel the tips of his ears turning red. "I'm really not that important-"

"Nonsense!" the stall owner shook his head. "For one of his highness' own, I'll knock the price down to twenty-five gold."

The price was still far too high for Ashe's usual budget, but Yuri simply nudged the coin purse closer to the stall owner. Ashe made a mental note to keep an eye on Yuri in all future battles.

The shop owner took the appropriate amount of coin from Yuri's purse and handed the book to Ashe, who immediately proceeded to delicately wrap the tome in his own scarf as though he were swaddling a child.

"Just for you, little mouse," Yuri pocketed his purse again. "Don't lose it."

* * *

The two made their way back to the monastery, Ashe clutching the wrapped-up book close to his chest the entire way. They parted ways once safely back inside the main gates, with Yuri muttering something about lovingly disrupting Constance's latest tea party, and Ashe was left with just himself for company.

He couldn't believe it. He had an original copy of The Knight and The Lake Monster and it was in near-perfect condition.

The tale had been one of his favourites during his childhood and he spent many nights tugging on the hem of Christophe's robe and asking him to read it again. The copy they owned had been battered, falling apart at the seams and held together only by twine and love, and although several pages had gone missing over the years, Ashe already knew the story off by heart.

Yuri had joked that Ashe should build a glass case to keep it in and Ashe had simply shook his head. Tales like this weren't meant to be kept, they were meant to be shared.

That's why his feet were already heading toward the training grounds before the rest of him caught up.

"Felix?" he called out, cautiously peering round a pillar for fear that an errant sword would catch him off-guard. "Are you here?"

"Oh, hey Ashe!" Leonie beamed at him. "Looking for Felix?"

"Yes! I have a new book I'd like to share with him."

"That's sweet, Ashe," she heaved her lance over one shoulder, cracking her back as she did so. "I haven't seen him around today, though."

Ashe frowned. "Not at all?"

"Not at all," Leonie echoed. "If I had to guess, he's probably bothering Sylvain in the dining hall."

Leonie's guess was most likely accurate. "Ah, right, I'll check over there. Good luck with your training, Leonie!"

"Good luck with your search!" she gave him an enthusiastic wave goodbye before immediately returning to her training.

Ashe left the training grounds with Leonie's fervent cries of "FOR JERALT!" and "TIME TO PAY!" fading behind him.

* * *

Ashe's search in the dining hall was equally futile. If Felix Fraldarius was somewhere in the room, he was either hiding under a table or casting the best stealth spell the world had ever seen. The latter seemed somehow more likely than the former.

Sylvain was also suspiciously absent from the dining hall. In fact, the only two Blue Lions in the entire dining hall were Annette and Ingrid, so Ashe decided to ask if they'd seen Felix before heading out on any sort of wild goose chase.

"Hey," he gave them a wave as he spoke. "Have either of you seen Felix?"

"Felix?" Annette tapped her dessert spoon against her bowl in thought. "No, I don't think I've seen him today. Have you tried the training grounds?"

"Yes," Ashe shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Leonie said she hadn't seen him either."

Ingrid's attempt at a response was muffled by her mouthful of steak.

"That's unusual. Maybe he's in his room?" Annette continued, unperturbed.

His room? Well, Ashe had a higher chance of finding Felix in his own room than in someone else's. Maybe. "Thanks, Annette, I'll try there."

Ingrid swallowed her food. "Are you looking to spar? Because we can always spar, if you want."

"O-oh no, I just found a book I want to share with him!"

Annette and Ingrid shared a look. Ashe had no idea what the look meant.

"Which book?" Annette asked.

He carefully retrieved the book from inside his scarf. "The Knight and The Lake Monster!"

"By the Goddess," Ingrid dropped her fork. "It's in perfect condition!"

"I know!" Ashe cheerfully replied. "It was going for fifty gold at the market-"

"FIFTY GOLD?"

"-but Yuri jumped in and haggled it down to just twenty five, and then he paid for it anyway!"

The girls shared another look. Ashe had no idea what that look meant, either, but it definitely wasn't the same as the Felix-themed look. Maybe he was just bad at reading people? Maybe they knew something that he didn't.

"Ashe," Annette started, but Ingrid hushed her before she could say anything else.

"Go check Felix's room, Ashe," Ingrid picked her fork back up and hungrily dug back into her steak. "Iff eeeh showsh uhh hhhh-"

"If Felix happens to show up here in the meantime, we'll point him in your direction," Annette finished for her.

"Thanks, guys," Ashe beamed at his friends, re-wrapping the book in his scarf. "I'll see you around!"

The two of them smiled at him as he left, before whispering to one another through mouthfuls of steak and sorbet.

* * *

When they had returned to Garreg Mach the day before the millennium festival, they had decided to simply move back into their old rooms. The rooms of those who didn't return - Edelgard, Hubert, and Claude - had been repurposed for the Ashen Wolves. Once all three rooms had been thoroughly inspected for any potential intel, Balthus had hoisted a spare bed all the way up the stairs like it was nothing and both Hapi and Constance chose to share Edelgard's old room.

Felix's room was on the second floor of the monastery, like all the other nobles' rooms. Ashe had the location memorised - third from the back, between Dimitri and Claude's rooms. Except that Yuri was now the one residing in Claude's room. He mentally updated his map of the monastery grounds.

"Hey, Felix?" Ashe knocked on Felix's bedroom door.

No answer.

He counted to five in his head and tried again.

"Felix?"

Still no answer.

Ashe's fist was raised, ready to knock again, when the door to Sylvain's room swung open and none other than the redhead himself strutted out.

"Hey again, lil' buddy," Sylvain greeted him. "Looking for Felix?"

"Y-yes," Ashe cleared his throat. "I have a new book that I want to share with him!"

The grin on Sylvain's face bordered on dangerous. "Okay, so, that's adorable."

Ashe scrunched up his nose in frustration. "Adorable?"

"Y'know," Sylvain gave an airy shrug. "Sharing books with a dude. Totally adorable."

While Ashe didn't see what exactly was adorable about wanting to share some of his favourite literature with his friend, he decided to not play into whatever trap Sylvain was setting. "Have you seen him?"

"Mmm, nope."

Helpful. "Do you know where he might be?"

Ashe didn't know why he asked that, seeing as he knew the answer before Sylvain even said it.

"Have you tried the training grounds?"

"Yes."

"Dining hall?"

"Yes."

Sylvain scratched his head. "Well, seeing as you're also at his bedroom door right now, that rules that one out, which kinda rules Felix's main three haunts all out."

The two of them stood there for a minute, sharing a moment of confused solidarity. It really wasn't like Felix to not be at the training grounds.

"Maybe he's off throwing rocks at Dimitri?" Sylvain offered half-jokingly.

Ashe made a noise that didn't really mean anything in particular. While Felix and Dimitri were certainly on tense terms, their relationship had been slowly on the mend, especially since Felix's father had gave up his life for Dimitri during the Battle at Gronder. The month that followed that battle had been extremely uncomfortable, with Felix being forced to confront his own feelings regarding his father and Dimitri re-evaluating his stance on the world.

On the bright side, the two of them were now sort-of-friends once again. Felix had even stopped calling Dimitri "boar" which was basically the equivalent of Felix getting down on one knee and proposing to the prince.

"Should we go check out the main bit of the church together?" Sylvain's voice interrupted Ashe's thoughts. "If Felix is stalking Dimitri, that's where we'll find both of them."

Ashe nodded. "It's worth a try."

"And it's a lovely day to stretch my legs with my good friend Ashe," Sylvain winked. "Let's go, daddy-o."

* * *

The good news was that Dimitri was indeed at the cathedral, as Sylvain had predicted. The bad news was that Felix was nowhere to be seen.

"Ashe, Sylvain," Dimitri bowed his head in a semi-solemn greeting, turning away from where he had been staring at the giant stained glass mural that adorned the northernmost wall of the room. "It is nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too, your princeliness," Sylvain gave a joking salute and a sweeping bow.

"How are you feeling?" Ashe asked softly.

Dimitri paused to think before coming to a conclusion. "Better."

"Good." Ashe meant it.

"Have you seen our good pal Felix around?" Sylvain asked.

"Felix?" Dimitri raised his eyebrows. "No, not today. Have you tried-"

"The training grounds, yes, he's not there," Ashe hastily interrupted. "He's also not in the dining room nor his bedroom."

"Oh," the eyebrows lowered. "That's strange."

Ashe was starting to feel like things might be running in circles.

"Have you tried the greenhouse?" Dimitri tried. "Perhaps he is with Dedue."

Of course. Dedue. Who wouldn't want to hang out with Dedue?

(The answer was nobody. Everyone loved Dedue.)

"I'll try there," Ashe said. "Thanks, Dimitri."

Dimitri smiled and returned to gazing serenely at the cathedral's mural. Sylvain gave Ashe a knowing look, to which Ashe gave a nod in return, and the redhead stayed by Dimitri's side while Ashe turned and headed toward the other side of the monastery grounds.

As he left, he heard Sylvain crack a terrible joke about the weather, earning a rare chuckle from Dimitri.

* * *

The greenhouse was overly humid and Ashe felt his clothes sticking to him the second he stepped through the doors. While he knew his book would be safe and sound in its makeshift covering, he didn't want to stick along for too long for fear of sweating himself into an early grave.

"Felix?" he called. "Are you in here?"

"Ah. Ashe," Dedue stepped out from behind a large rhododendron bush, garden shears in hand. "Are you looking for Felix?"

Ashe nodded wearily, fanning himself with his hand. "Have you seen him?"

"No."

One of Ashe's favourite things about Dedue was how straight-to-the-point he was. His other favourite things included his kind heart, his cooking skills, and just Dedue in general.

If Ashe hadn't been too busy trying to work out how he felt about a certain dark-haired swordsman, he probably would have proposed to Dedue by now.

"Ah," Ashe tugged at his collar, trying to get rid of some of the oppressive heat building up under his shirt. "Do you know where he is?"

"I assume you've tried the training grounds."

"Yes, along with the dining hall, his bedroom, and the cathedral."

Dedue's face crinkled in thought. "Has he been called away on a mission by Byleth?"

Now that was one avenue that Ashe had yet to explore. "I-I haven't checked."

"Then check," Dedue gave him a warm smile. "Before you sweat yourself to death."

Laughing nervously at how slippery and shiny he was after less than three minutes in the stifling heat, Ashe gave his friend a wave goodbye and hurried back into the cool air outside. Even with the sun beating down on him, it was significantly cooler than the sweltering environment in the greenhouse.

Right. His next target was Byleth. Where was Byleth most likely to be?

* * *

Ashe followed his instincts and was pleased to find he was correct, finding his former professor and current war general out in the gardens, enjoying a cup of tea with Hilda and Marianne.

"Ashe!" Byleth raised their cup in greeting. "My favourite bow knight!"

While Ashe was flattered, he was also disgustingly sweaty, slightly out of breath, and very frustrated regarding the fact that Felix had apparently vanished into thin air. He'd have to take another bath that evening. At least he _could_ take a bath right now. "Thanks, Byleth."

"Hello, Ashe," Marianne acknowledged him cordially.

"Hiiiii, Ashe!" Hilda followed suit, giving him one of her widest smiles.

Ashe liked Marianne and Hilda. As far as he was concerned, the two worked well together and were both good people. He was glad to call them both his friends and allies.

"Hello Marianne, Hilda!" Ashe said. "Sorry for being so sweaty. Have any of you seen Felix?"

Byleth got as far as "Have-" before Ashe quickly added "He's not at the training grounds, the dining hall, his own bedroom, the cathedral, nor the greenhouse."

"Huh. That's pretty much everywhere."

"I was wondering if you had called him away on a mission?"

Byleth shook their head. "Nope."

"I might have sent him on like, a supply run?" Hilda tilted her head to one side in thought.

"No, you sent Lorenz and Ferdie," Marianne corrected her. "Felix usually only goes when it's raining."

"Oh yeah!" Hilda laughed. "Lorenz and Ferdie get on like a house on fire."

That was an understatement. The two nobles had found some sort of solace in how both of them had lost a dear friend - Lorenz would never admit it, but he missed Claude far more than he let on, while Ferdie was overly open about how much he missed Hubert's ominous presence in his life - and had bonded over their combined losses. Ashe knew that Dimitri was working behind the scenes to try and convince Claude to join their cause, but he also had a sinking feeling that Claude had other plans.

"Emphasis on the fire," Byleth sipped at their tea. "I wonder where Felix is, then?"

Ashe had been asking himself the same question for at least an hour now.

"Maybe like, check the training grounds again?" Hilda twirled a lock of her hair around her fingers in thought. "He might have gone there since you last checked."

Hilda's logic somehow worked out. Perhaps, while Ashe had been trailing around the monastery in search of him, Felix had simply gone to train. If he had gone straight there from wherever he had been hiding, Leonie might have taken a break for lunch, and thus nobody could have told Felix that Ashe was looking for him.

"I'll try checking again," he gave a half-bow of gratitude. "Thanks, Hilda."

"You're welcome!" she winked at him.

"Here, Ashe," Marianne folded up a napkin that she had placed several tasty looking treats into. "Take some cookies for your journey."

"They're cinnamon flavoured!" Hilda added. "Mercie baked them for us."

Ashe wasn't one to say no to free cookies. Free anything, really. Ashe might have abandoned the five finger discount long ago, but free stuff always seemed better to him.

"Thank you, Marianne," he pocketed the cookie-filled napkin. "I'll be sure to enjoy them!"

The smile on Marianne's face only served to cement Ashe's conviction that he would go to the ends of the planet and then some for her.

* * *

He had only just set foot inside the training grounds when an arrow whistled past Ashe's head, missing him by an incredibly narrow margin.

Ashe shrieked, Ignatz screamed, and Flayn shouted "DO IT AGAIN!"

"ASHEIAMSOSORRYIDIDN'TSEEYOUTHEREANDIDIDN'TMEANTOSHOOTATYOUOHNOOHGODDESSFORGIVEME," Ignatz managed to get out in one breath.

"H-hey, Ignatz, it's okay!" Ashe tried to reassure him despite the fact he could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears. "No h-harm done!"

"I'm so sorry- oh Goddess forgive me- Flayn has been helping me improve my aim- oh dear Goddess-" Ignatz babbled.

While Ignatz continued to stumble over an attempt at an apology, Flayn flashed Ashe a bright grin. "Ignatz has been indulging me!"

"Indulging you?" Ashe was intrigued.

"I have been throwing fruits into the air and he has been shooting them!" Flayn clasped both hands together in delight. "It makes the most wonderful sound!"

"Y-yes," the green-haired archer had taken off his glasses and was now shakily polishing them on his shirt. "It also makes for a g-great fruit salad."

Between Ignatz's nervous apology and Flayn radiating sheer glee, Ashe couldn't be mad. They were his friends and sometimes friends accidentally almost killed each other, no big deal.

"It sounds fun!" Near death experiences aside, Ashe remembered why he had come to the training grounds in the first place. Second place? "Have either of you seen Felix?"

Flayn shot an unreadable look at Ignatz who squinted in return before remembering to put his glasses back on. Once his eyesight was restored, Ignatz considered Flayn's facial expression and responded in turn with one of his own.

What was it with people and shooting looks at each other today?

"U-uh, no," Ignatz shook his head. "Sorry, Ashe."

"Perhaps he has gone fishing!" Flayn's face lit up again. "Oh, Ignatz, we should try shooting the fish in the pond!"

"W-what?!"

"It would be a delightful training experience for you and a delicious meal for me!"

The look on Ignatz's face was nothing short of mild terror. "I-I think Seteth wouldn't appreciate it if I filled the pond with arrows, Flayn. Arrows also move differently in water than they do in air."

"Then we shall each grab a lance and fish for ourselves!"

"I- what-"

As much as Ashe genuinely wanted to hang around and listen to the two of them argue over fishing techniques all day, he had a swordsman to locate. As such, he quietly slipped back out of the training grounds while Flayn proposed the idea of her and Ignatz buying matching swimsuits and going diving in the fishing pond, unsure as to what his next move was going to be.

Just where in the world was Felix Fraldarius?

* * *

It had been over two hours since Ashe had started his search for Felix and exasperation was starting to overtake him. It wasn't like Felix to not be on the monastery grounds - one could usually just follow the sounds of sarcastic remarks and/or swords clashing to find him - and it definitely wasn't like him to not be at the training grounds.

His arms were starting to ache from carrying his swaddled book close to his chest and he still felt vaguely sticky from his brief foray into the greenhouse. He hadn't wanted to spend most of his day off searching for Felix.

Tired, he settled in a patch of shade below a tree in the monastery grounds, placing his new book carefully on his lap before fishing the cookies Marianne had given him out of his pocket and tucking in.

"Oh, Ashe!" a sweet voice came from nearby. "You have some of my cookies!"

If Ashe's mouth hadn't been stuffed full of delectable cookies, he would have said hello to Mercedes. Instead, he made a muffled noise that he hoped would pass for a suitable greeting and started to frantically chew the sweets in his mouth.

Mercedes laughed. "Slow down, Ashe!"

He did so, returning to his normal chewing pace. Mercedes sat down next to him, gathering her skirts around her and dusting down her veil, the same calm smile on her face as always. Just being in her presence filled Ashe with a sense of tranquility.

If home were a person, it would be Mercedes.

"You've been looking for Felix," she said. It wasn't a question.

Ashe nodded, savouring the cinnamon in the cookies.

"I believe Cyril saw him headed out of the monastery?" she tilted her head. "That would have been around seven hours ago."

Seven hours ago? If it was around three in the afternoon now, that would mean that Felix had been missing since eight in the morning. Ashe gulped down the food in his mouth. "Did he tell Cyril where he was going?"

"Oh, Goddess, no," Mercedes chuckled. "Cyril said he looked, and I quote, 'as mad as usual'."

Felix's neutral expression was thunderous, so that wasn't anything to be concerned about. Him being absent for seven hours without telling anyone where he was headed, though - that was the troubling part.

"Do you think he's gotten into trouble?" Ashe's mind wandered into worrying territory in spite of Mercedes' soothing presence. What if Felix had run into a particularly intrepid band of roving thieves? Or what if he had gone for a swim in a nearby lake but hit his head on a rock? What if he'd taken a horse but gotten his foot caught in the straps and was both unconscious and halfway to Enbarr by now?

It would be very out of character for Felix to make it this far through a war and then die because he ate the wrong mushroom or forgot to lace up his boots, Ashe tried and failed to reassure himself. While it would be out of character for Felix to die over a silly mistake, Felix attempting to take on an entire group of bandits by himself was a very real possibility.

"Of course not!" Mercedes' positive attitude shone through. "This is Felix we're talking about, remember?"

Ah, yes, Felix. Stubborn. Headstrong. Determined to a fault. A dedicated soldier wrapped up with a scowl for a bow.

Ashe wasn't convinced.

He chewed on the edge of a cookie anxiously.

"We can always go look for him, if you're worried," Mercedes offered kindly.

"N-no!" he shook his head. Letting Felix know that Ashe worried about him would be embarrassing enough. Allowing the other man to know that Ashe cared about him to the point of potentially organising a search party would most likely cause him to explode. "I-I'm sure he'll be back by dinner."

"If he's not, we'll go then."

The two of them sat quietly for a while, Ashe making his way through the cookie haul and Mercedes taking in the peaceful atmosphere of the monastery. Ashe liked sitting in silence with Mercedes. Unlike most silences, which were usually the result of something awkward, the silences he shared with Mercedes were akin to the reverence offered up in a wordless prayer. He felt no pressure to speak, no pressure to impress, no pressure to be anything but himself.

If it weren't for his concern regarding Felix gnawing at his insides, Ashe could have quite happily lived in this moment forever.

"You'd almost think that we weren't at war," she commented.

"I wish we weren't," Ashe responded honestly.

Mercedes' smile faded, her expression briefly overtaken by sadness. While fleeting, it was enough to prompt Ashe to reach out, taking the healer's hand in his own and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it.

"Oh, Ashe," pure joy lit up her entire face. "You're such a sweetheart."

Ashe laughed. "So people keep telling me."

"And they're correct!" Mercedes let out a giggle. "I think the Goddess took extra care creating you, Ashe."

He felt his face heat up at the compliment. While Ashe didn't consider himself to be overly religious, he still believed in and prayed to the Goddess regularly, and to hear such a compliment coming from someone as devout as Mercedes herself filled his heart with all sorts of warm feelings.

Maybe Ashe was just in love with all of his Blue Lions friends.

Which meant that he was in love with Felix.

The feeling in his chest twisted, but it wasn't painful. It was just different. It settled quickly, leaving Ashe with the profound realisation that yes, he was in love with Felix Fraldarius.

Ashe was in love with Felix.

It was obvious.

It also explained all of the looks people had been exchanging right in front of him today.

When he said he was in love, he meant _love_ love. Romantic love. Yearning love. The sort of love that he read about in books, where the prince and the princess wed and lived happily ever after. Except Felix was a noble and Ashe was a commoner.

But he'd read those kinds of books, too. Ones where the nobles gave up their titles to spend their days in the arms of their beloved. Ones where people set down their weapons and embraced. Ones where people turned their backs on their destinies and chose their loved ones over fate every single time.

Ashe had nothing to give up, but he wondered if Felix would give it all up for him.

It felt like sacrilege to even consider it.

"Ashe?" Mercedes inquired. "Are you okay?"

"Mercie," Ashe spoke quickly, trying to get the words out before he could regret them. "What does love feel like to you?"

"Love?" she mused. "I suppose it feels warm."

"Warm?"

"Like a big hug, but for your soul!"

Ashe couldn't stop himself from laughing. A 'hug for your soul' was such a Mercedes thing to say and strangely accurate, too.

"I... I think I'm going to go take a bath," Ashe said, wiping the cookie crumbs off his outfit and preparing to stand up. He felt odd. Like he was still him, but slightly to the left.

Mercedes caught his hand before he could get to his feet.

"Ashe," she said seriously.

"Mercedes," he replied, equally seriously.

"Did it help?"

Ashe thought for a moment.

"Yes," he smiled. "Yes it did."

* * *

After sharing a bath with none other than Linhardt, Caspar, Ferdinand, Lorenz, and enough liquid soap to fill half the sauna with bubbles, and returning to his room to change into a clean outfit, Ashe retrieved his new copy of The Knight and The Lake Monster from his scarf and lightly set it down on his desk.

He imagined Christophe and Lord Lonato admiring his new find, telling him and his siblings to take a seat while their adoptive father made them all mugs of hot cocoa. He imagined them all snuggling up together while their older brother recounted the tale of the daring knight who braved the terrors of the lake in order to defeat the beast that lay there and retrieve the treasures within.

Maybe, after the war was over, Ashe could convince all the Blue Lions to take an evening off, make mugs of hot cocoa, and snuggle up together somewhere while Ashe did his best to fill his brother's shoes and regale them with the same tale.

He could imagine it now - Dedue would be in the centre of the sofa, with Mercedes and Annette to one side and Sylvain to the other. Felix would be next to Sylvain, the redhead lovingly and jokingly pulling Felix into his side for a cuddle, while Ingrid sat on the end and rolled her eyes at Sylvain's behaviour. Dimitri would probably be snuggled between Dedue and Mercedes.

It was a nice thought.

Ashe's stomach rumbled. Was it that late already? He looked out his bedroom window. The sun was only just hovering above the horizon, the sky bathed in a beautiful amber hue. If he had to guess, it would be around seven in the evening.

He guessed that Felix had yet to return to the monastery. If he had, someone would have likely told him by now that Ashe had been all over the place during the day, looking for him.

The pangs of hunger in his stomach won out over him worrying about Felix. Like Mercedes said, if Felix hadn't returned by dinner, they could go look for him. He probably wouldn't be too mad if they at least searched for him on full stomachs.

Throwing on his jacket, he headed out his room and in the direction of the dining hall.

Ashe had barely managed five steps from his room door before none other than Felix Fraldarius himself appeared from around the corner.

"F-Felix!" Ashe stuttered.

For what was possibly the first time in known history, Ashe had managed to take Felix by surprise.

"Ashe!" the swordsman stopped in his tracks.

"Felix!" Ashe repeated, hurrying towards him.

"Ashe?"

"Felix!"

"Yes," Felix regained his usual irritated composure. "That would be me."

Ashe let out a fraught laugh. "Oh, thank the Goddess, I was starting to think you'd never come back."

"Never come back?" Felix lifted an eyebrow.

"I-I mean, ahem, Cyril said he saw you leaving early this morning-"

"Did he?" Felix folded his arms.

"Well, Mercie told me that Cyril told her that he saw you leaving early this morning," Ashe clarified.

"And what, pray tell, was so urgent that you were asking Mercedes about my whereabouts?"

Ashe hesitated. The initial excitement of finally locating Felix was starting to wear off and he noticed that the other man looked ragged, dark circles under his eyes and a generous smattering of dirt clinging to his clothes and skin.

"Felix," Ashe unintentionally ignored his question. "Why are you so filthy?"

"Swords," Felix answered uncertainly.

"Swords?"

"Yes. I was on the hunt for a new sword."

"You were on the hunt for a new sword."

"Must you repeat everything I say?" Felix snapped. "I left early to track down a master blacksmith."

Ashe wasn't buying it. It could be free and Ashe wouldn't be buying it. "And that's why you look like you got into a fight with a hedge?"

Felix wordlessly opened and closed his mouth.

"Felix," Ashe put his hands on his hips and assumed his most stern expression. "Where were you today?"

The swordsman's head fell in defeat and he mumbled something into his chest. Ashe caught the words "job" and "gold" and not much else.

"You'll have to speak up," Ashe said.

Felix's head shot back up. "I said I left early to complete a woodcutting job so I could earn some gold!"

Now it was Ashe's turn to not have any words. Felix earning gold? He was sitting on the Fraldarius fortune. Why did he need to earn gold? If anything, it should have been Ashe out there, chopping down trees so he could pay for a copy of The Knight and The Lake Monster himself.

"F-Felix, you _have_ gold," Ashe pointed out.

Was it his imagination, or was Felix blushing?

"I wanted to earn it," Felix responded. "I wanted to buy a gift."

Ashe wasn't following his logic.

"I wanted to buy a gift for you and I thought that it would mean more if I earned the gold myself," Felix continued, unprompted. Something inside him had apparently broken, as the words were now flowing freely from his mouth with no sign of stopping. "Except by the time I made it back to the market, the gift I wanted to get you was gone. So I came back to the monastery. There."

"Felix, you don't need to buy me any gifts," Ashe said.

"I wanted to," Felix responded brusquely.

"But you don't have to."

"I _wanted_ to," he emphasised. "I saw this book at the market and I thought that it would be perfect for you."

"A book?"

"The Knight and The Lake Monster, I believe it was called."

Something in Ashe's brain flared to life and he started laughing uncontrollably.

Each time he tried to get his act together, he got another look at Felix's deeply confused face, and he started laughing all over again.

"O-oh Felix," Ashe managed to breathe out between bursts of laughter. "I can't- I can't believe this."

"Believe _what_?"

Putting one hand on a nearby wall for balance, Ashe somehow found the willpower to stop laughing and take several deep gulps of air, steadying himself.

"Felix," he said. "I've been looking for you all day to show you that exact book."

There was a pause. In reality, the pause only lasted a few seconds, but to Ashe, it felt like several lifetimes.

"You've been looking for me all day to show me that exact book," Felix said.

"Yes."

"The book that I've been working all day to buy for you."

"Yes?"

It was Felix's turn to laugh. His laugh was desperate, nervous, and disbelieving, but it was still like music to Ashe's ears.

"I can't believe this," Felix muttered, tempering his laughter. "How did you afford it?"

"Oh," Ashe fiddled with the cuff of his jacket nervously. "Yuri managed to haggle the price down and then bought it for me."

"Yuri."

"Yuri?"

Felix drew his sword. "I'm going to kill him."

"N-no!" Ashe panicked. "No killing Yuri!"

"Ashe," Felix spoke through gritted teeth. "I have been chopping wood, herding sheep, harvesting produce, and Goddess knows what else all day just so I could buy you that book."

"A-and I appreciate the gesture!" He did. He really did. Ashe didn't think that anyone, aside from his adoptive family, had ever gone to such lengths for him before. Felix could have taken the easy way out and just used his pocket change to buy the book, but he hadn't, and that meant the world to Ashe.

"As such, I must cut down the man who beat me to it," Felix responded drily.

"Not necessary!"

"Very necessary."

"No!" Ashe quite literally put his foot down, taking a step toward Felix. "No killing Yuri!"

Felix mulled the idea over in his mind for several seconds too long for comfort before sheathing his sword. "Fine. As you wish."

"T-thank you!" Ashe squeaked out.

The swordsman ran his fingers over the hilt of his weapon thoughtfully. "I'll have to buy you something else, then."

"You don't have to!"

"I must."

Ashe had no idea what he had done to deserve this.

He realised that Felix was staring at him. It wasn't one of his usual death glares, though. He was contemplative. Searching for something.

"Felix," Ashe spoke lowly. "Have I upset you?"

For the second time in known history, Ashe had managed to take Felix by surprise.

"What?" Felix replied, aghast. "No!"

"Have you upset me?" Ashe asked, befuddled.

"No?"

"Then why are you trying to make me happy?!"

"I-I," Felix wove his hands together, twisting them anxiously, now refusing to look Ashe in the eye. "BecauseIliketoseeyouhappy."

"Y-you what?"

The blush that bloomed on Felix's face was nothing short of completely magnificent. It painted his skin crimson, trailing high up his cheeks and creeping down his neck and below his collar. Ashe wondered if he could run and fetch Ignatz and get him to paint it.

"I said that I like to see you happy! And I know that you like books and stories about knights!"

Felix Fraldarius had quite obviously died and been replaced with an impostor. That was the only reasonable explanation.

"Felix, you don't need to buy me gifts to make me happy," Ashe said.

"Then what should I do?"

Ashe's list of answers to that question was longer than the holy scriptures. He could start by not disappearing for several hours. Not dying in the war would be a good second request. Opening up about his feelings, not threatening to kill people for slighting him, and kissing Ashe were also strong contenders.

"Felix," Ashe said softly. "We're adults. We can talk about our feelings like adults."

Felix looked as though Ashe had just suggested that they sacrifice a bunch of orphans to the Goddess.

Undeterred, Ashe pressed on. "You don't need to buy me gifts or make some sort of grand gesture to make me happy. We can just go someplace quiet and talk. Like adults."

Still looking slightly terrified, Felix said something under his breath that Ashe didn't quite catch.

"Uh," Ashe was running out of steam and adrenaline. "I-I didn't quite catch that, Fe."

The blush that had been slowly receding from Felix's face returned in all its glory upon Ashe's casual use of a nickname.

"I said," Felix spoke carefully and clearly despite his clear embarrassment. "That it doesn't go like this in the books."

"The books?"

"You know," he waved his hand in an attempt to indicate something. "Where the knight woos the fair maiden with gifts and acts of heroism."

Ashe didn't know where to start with that one. "Are you calling me a 'fair maiden'?"

"No!" Felix said, before following it up with a confused "Yes?" and then adding a very unsure "Maybe?"

Alright. If Ashe was the fair maiden in this scenario, that would make Felix the knight, which meant that-

Ashe's eyes widened. "Are you trying to _woo_ me?"

Felix recoiled at Ashe's use of the word "woo" despite using it himself literally a few seconds ago. "It sounds so crude when you put it like that."

"So you are trying to woo me!"

"Yes," Felix admitted exasperatedly, trademark scowl on his face. "But it seems that a certain Leclerc may have beaten me to it."

In all of Ashe's extended fantasy sequences that revolved around Felix confessing his hidden feelings for Ashe, none of them involved Ashe being the calm and collected one and Felix being the jabbering wreck. Most of them involved flowers. Others involved Felix saving Ashe from an untimely end at an enemy's blade and the two of them kissing passionately on the battlefield while Sylvain tried his best to fight off the enemies converging on them.

Wait, did Felix just imply that Yuri was flirting with Ashe?

"Fe," Ashe took a deep breath. "You're aware that Yuri is dating Sylvain, right?"

Judging by the look on Felix's face, he was extremely out on the loop on who was dating who.

"He _what_?!"

"D-did Sylvain not tell you?!"

"He might have," Felix's scowl deepened. "And I might not have listened."

A very bad thought crossed Ashe's mind.

"Fe," he started to smirk. "Yuri's room is right next to yours."

"Your point being?"

"How have you not _heard_ them?"

Whatever coherent and snarky response that Felix had planned died on his lips, a series of choked noises spewing out of his mouth instead. He was now the same shade as a beetroot and his face twitched as he tried to process the implication behind Ashe's words.

"Ashe," he eventually croaked out. "Please never bring this up ever again."

"No promises."

Realisation dawned on Felix's face.

"So," he asked. "You're not dating Yuri?"

Ashe shook his head. "That's Sylvain's job."

Felix nodded slowly, but didn't say anything else.

Just as Ashe was about to suggest that they drop the whole subject right now and continue talking once Felix had properly processed the fact that his best friend was romantically and sexually involved with the de facto leader of the Ashen Wolves, Felix took a step towards him.

And then another one.

"Fe?"

Felix lifted his hand delicately, carefully, as though one wrong movement would cause Ashe to flee like a frightened deer.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked.

"O-oh!" Ashe uttered. "Y-yes, Fe, but you don't have to ask-"

Felix brought one finger to Ashe's lips, hushing him. "I'm going to kiss you now."

Ashe simply stared, awestruck, as Felix's hand trailed across his cheek, cupping his jaw and bringing his face closer, before the swordsman closed the gap between them and finally kissed Ashe.

If the Goddess had decided to smite Ashe then and there, he would have died an extremely happy man.

"Hey, Ashe," came a voice from nearby. "I found Felix- oh, ya already found him."

Felix pulled away first, hand still caressing Ashe's face, so he could glare daggers at Cyril.

Cyril was completely unfazed.

"That's neat," he said. "Ashe, Yuri's lookin' for ya. He's in the dining hall."

"Th-thank you, Cyril," Ashe replied.

Cyril gave the duo a thumbs up and sauntered off in the direction of the cathedral.

The second Cyril's back was turned, Felix immediately returned to peppering Ashe's face with fervent kisses, sliding his free arm around his waist to draw him closer before pressing a kiss to Ashe's neck. Ashe laughed at the sensation.

"I'm ticklish!" he giggled.

"I know," Felix smiled against his skin, sneaking another kiss.

While Ashe could have very well stood there forever and let Felix lavish him with affection, Yuri was apparently looking for him and, if he was completely honest, Felix could definitely stand to have a bath while the Blue Lions were still able to make use of the monastery's baths and soap supply.

Felix could apparently read his mind.

"Mm," he murmured, pulling back so he could kiss the tip of Ashe's nose. "I should go bathe."

"I should go find Yuri," Ashe said. "Warn him that you might run him through with a sword."

Felix laughed. "I thought you said that was Sylvain's job?"

Ashe playfully swatted at Felix's arm, the two of them reluctantly breaking their embrace.

"I'll be at the training grounds later," Felix said.

"Of course you will be."

They shared a smile, with Ashe leaning forward to give Felix a quick kiss, before Felix headed off toward the sauna. Watching him leave, Ashe suddenly remembered just why he had been searching for Felix in the first place.

"Fe!" he called.

Felix stopped and turned to face him, his features illuminated by the glow of the setting sun.

"The training grounds get pretty full in the evening," Ashe smiled coyly. "Should we just meet in my room instead?"

The look on Felix's face told him all that he needed to know.

While it might not usually go like this in the books, Ashe felt like he preferred this version of the story anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> [LATER THAT NIGHT]  
> Ashe: hey Fe ;)  
> Felix: hey Ashe ;)  
> Ashe: come join me on the bed ;)  
> Felix: ;)  
> Ashe: OKAY SO CHAPTER ONE: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS. THE BRAVE KNIGHT ALISTAIR PICKED UP HIS SWORD,
> 
> Please free to follow me on Twitter at [@kula3h](https://twitter.com/kula3h) for Persona and FE posting! (no pressure though!)


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